Mining and earthmoving operations require a ground engaging implement that may be generally provided on a vehicle. The ground engaging implement may be a bucket such as a dragline bucket or an excavator bucket. The leading edges of the bucket may be subjected to wear during the mining and earthmoving operations. The leading edges may include the digging edge and structural elements that support the digging edge. In order to protect these leading edges from wear a wear member may be used.
The wear members may be bolted to the leading edges such as the portions between the respective tip assemblies on the digging edge and the structural elements supporting the digging edge. In other applications, the wear members may be fastened to the individual tip assemblies by various forms of fasteners or mechanical interlock systems.
The wear members may be welded to leading edges of the bucket to increase the usable life of the implement. The wear members may operate in harsh working conditions and may be subjected to heavy loading and a high degree of wear so as to protect the leading edges from premature wear. Accordingly, the wear members may wear out frequently and require periodic replacement.
Hence, there is a need to be able to quickly and easily remove a worn wear member and to replace it. However, wear members that are welded to the leading edges may require substantial dismantling of the bucket for their removal. Further complications may arise when mechanical fastening methods, such as bolts or pins, are used to attach the wear members. The mechanical fasteners are required to withstand large forces that may arise during the mining and earth moving operations. These forces may result in deformation of the mechanical fastener, thereby rendering the removal of the wear members more difficult.
Thus, a quick and easy removal of the wear members is required while ensuring that the wear members are securely mounted in a manner to withstand the considerable forces exerted thereon during operation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,214 describes a replaceable wear edge for the forward edge of an excavator such as the lip or wing and which may include a U-shaped wear member. The wear member may be equipped with a T-shaped slot engageable with a conforming T-shaped boss on a confronting surface on the excavator. The wear member upper surface may be equipped with a keeper-equipped opening for receiving a lock between the boss and wear member. Wear member may have spaced apart rearwardly extending legs having slots to receive the boss.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,409 describes a wear protector system for shielding the leading edge of an earthmoving implement. The system includes an arrangement of shrouds that may cover the leading edge between the laterally spaced digger teeth. Each shroud may have a nose portion that wraps around the leading edge and a rearwardly extending tail portion having an abutment surface that engages an undercut abutment surface of an anchor block that is welded to the bucket. The complementary abutment surfaces may retain the tail portion from moving upwardly away from the bucket surface. The shroud may be retained from movement forwardly out of engagement with the lip by use of a cotter pin extending transversely through a passage that is formed partially in the tail of the shroud.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,024,874 describes a wear member that includes a pair of legs defining a slot straddling the digging edge of a piece of excavating equipment. In one construction, the slot is formed at its front end with a pair of inclined surfaces and a laterally extending ridge that is fit within a complementary channel on the digging edge. A lock is received within an opening in the wear member to releasably secure the wear member to the digging edge.
The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to improving or overcoming one or more aspects of the prior art system.